The St. Paul Police and Fire departments on Wednesday are asking the city council to increase their budgets for 2025.

In total, the Fire Department is asking for over $88 million, and community safety is a big goal when it comes to using that money.

Fire officials say there have been seven fire fatalities in the city this year — a new 30-year high. They added that they’ve seen a more than 60% increase in EMS calls this year.

To help with this, the department is proposing to develop a paramedic program with Regions Hospital and expand community education and engagement in fire safety.

The department is also looking to open a new fire station — crews say it would help response times on the city’s east side, which has seen major growth over the years.